Well swab



E. KIBLE My 3, v1927.

WELL swA Filed Aug. 2, 1926 Patented May 3, 1927.

UNITED STATES EUGENE KIBELE, OF SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS.

WELL A sWAB.

Application led August 2, 1926. Serial No. 126,441.

My invention relates to swabs for use in raising 1iqu1d from deep we1ls.`

It is an object of the invention to provide a swab which maybe easily introduced into 5 a well which is tobe cleared of liquid, and

which will-not be liable to become stuck in lthe well when in use.

It is desired to protect the expanding member so that it cannot vbe injured by contact with the joints in the pipe or by'other irregularities in the'. well casing, and also to provide a release valve to guard against overload on the swab.

It is also desired to produce a swab for use particularly in oil field operations which is simple and economical in construction, and

strong in its make-up, so that the' devices,

may be supplied to the trade at a price within the means of the producer@ 3 Referring to the drawing herewith,"Fig. 1 is a central longitudinal section through a swab embodying my invention, the tool :being shown in position within a well casing. Fig. 2 is a transverse section on the plane 5 2 2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a broken vertical section of a slightly different form of swab.v

The swab is adapted tb be lowered into the llquid within a well at the end of a rod or pipe. It is mounted upon a mandrel 1, the

) upper end of which is threaded at 2 for con'-l nection to the rod or pipe 2, by means of which it is manipulated. The mandrel mayv be reduced in diameter from the upper end to the lower end in two stages, thus forming two shoul'ders 3 and 4. The lower end 5 is threaded to receive a nut 6 forming a guard for the lower end of lthe swab and also to house a valve chamber,'as will be-described.l

The body Vof the swab comprises a cup 7 of'ru'bber, or other composition of flexible wear-resisting material, having a central opening in the bottom thereof to fit about' the clamping ring 8. The thicknessof the wall 'of the cup 7 is increased or widened i adjacent the ring 8, as shown at 9, and the ring, which is slidable on said mandrel, is formed to ft the cup. The upper end of the ring has radial stop lingers 10 and it has an under-cut shoulder 11 to4 receive the widened edge of the cup. The lower end of the clamping ring is cylindrical at 12.

A clamping plate 13 is shaped to fit below said cup and clamp it to the ring 8, which in turnbears against the shoulder 4. The plate 13 isv saucer-shaped and fits-against the lower end' ofthe ring 8 and the widened wall of the cup. lIt hasa central downwardly extending hub vagainst which the nut 6 engages, thus clamping'the plate, cup and ring together.

The cup 7 and the plate 13 have registering openingslt therein to allow the passage K of fluid upwardly when the device is lowered into the liquid in the well. A ring valve 15I lying in the bottom of the cup, and below the fingers 10 of the clamping ring, covers said openings when the cup is elevated.

The side Walls of the cup 7 are thick and strong and the upper end is reduced slightly in outer diameter at 16 so that the edge of the cup lmay project into the groove or recess 17 within the supporting plate 18 which is screwed upon lthe mandrel against the shoulder 3 thereon. vSaid plate 18 has an annular row of openings 20' therein toallow the passage of liquid, and. its outermargin is turned down to form a support for the upper edge 16 of the cup 7, as described.- It

is to be understood, however, that the inner wall of the groove 17 is not necessary. v

To provide against an overload uponthe swab, I employ a spring tension release valve lbelow the plate 13. The mandrel 1 is provided with a bore 28 extending upwardly from the lower end thereof to a point withinl the cup 7 where lateral openings 29 are provided into the space within the cup.

The nut 6 constitutes a housing for a valve 24. Said nut has a central chamber therein to housel the valve, said chamber being closed at its lower end by a plug 23. The upper end of said plug is recessed at 30 to receive the valve stem.

The valve 24 has' a compressible rubber washer 26 to fit against the lower end of. Y

the mandrel 1- which forms a seat therefor. A stem 31 extends downwardly from the valve within the recess 3() of the plug. A tension spring 27 about the valve stem bears at its-upper end against the valve and tends to hold it seated with a predetermined force. The walls of the valve chamber have lateral outlet openings 25 connecting with said chamber to allow the fluid to escape when the valve is opened by van overload of fluid.

I have shown my swab as adapted `to be used with a bailer, if desired, and for this urpose, the lower end 'of the nut or housing -1s threaded at 33 to provide attachment for 'the bailer. Also there are channels 34 exlio collars 21. A short space between the meeting ends of the sections of .tended upwardly in the' body of the housing connecting with lateral vents 35, thus providing a vent when the bailer is attached.

The .device is adapted to be used within a well casing shown at 20.. Such casing is commonly Amade upI of pipesect'ionsjoined` together at their ends by pipe couplings or 221s normally left to fit about the lower side of the cup 7 which l have only an outer flange bers-88 are formed at rods 39 screwed into openings in the cap its upward movement.

bears firmly against the mandrel.

Also the upper supporting plate 18 may 37 against which the upper rim of the cup rests. Stop memthe lower ends of 18 and projecting into the cup a suitable distance to engage and stop the. valve Y15 -on device, the swab' In the operation of my the drawing and,

is assembled as shown in inserted down into the well and into the' liquid asuflicient depth to include above' it the desired load of fluid to be lifted. In*l thus forcing the swab through the liquid,V

said liquid will pass upwardly through the;y openings 14 raising the dvalve 15 against the fingers 1 or'the vstops SSand allowing the liquid to pass out through the openings 20 tothe space above the swab. There will be i a material portion of the liquid pass up outside the cup also as the walls of the-cup and cup against said ring, said @up .and

may contract slightly.

On the upward lift of the swab the .valve 15 will close and the load of fluid will expandy the walls of the cup tightly against the inner wall of the casing. The plate 18 protects the upper edge of the cup and holds it from being doubled back also. The outer face of the cup will engage along the pipe joints so as vto prevent leakage, but the upper edge cannot be mutilated due to my construction. The action will, therefore, be a positive one and the cup will be protected against catching on the 4walls or mutilation from projections in the casing.

If an overload is taken on by the swab, it is to be understood that the tension. to which the spring 27 is set'will be ,exceeded and the valve will open to release a portion of the li uid until the spring will again seat the va ve. r

`Having thus described my invention, f what I claim as new and' desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

. `1. A swab comprising a mandrel, a saucershaped-plate thereon, a` cup of'flexible material on said plate, the side walls of said-v lgroove including the upper edge 0f said cup,

,and means to allow liquid'to pass upwardly through said cup.

2. A swab comprising a mandrel, a saucershaped plate thereon, a cup of flexible material on saidplate, -a stationary guard plate above said cup, said guard plate having a downwardly opening annular groove including the upper edge of said cup, and means to allow liquid to pass upwardly through said cup.

3. .A swab comprising a mandrel, a cup made up of flexible material thereon, a clamping ring vabove said cup, a supporting plate below said cup, means to clamp said plate vand cup against said ring, saidcup and plate having fluid openings therein, a valve plate in said cup normally closing said openings, and means on said ring to limit the upward movement of said valve.

4. A swab comprising a mandrel, a cup made up of flexible material thereon, a

clamping ringabove said\`cup, a supporting plate below said cup, `means to clamp said plate and cup against said ring, said cup and plate having fluid openings therein, a valve plate in said cup normally closing said openings, means on said ring to liinit'the upward movement of said valve, anda rigid guard plate protecting the upper end of said cup.

5. A s'wab comprising a mandrel having' la fluid passage therethrough, a cup made up of flexible material thereon, a clamping ring above sai-d cup, a supporting plate below said cup, means to clamp said plate .plate having fluidopenings, said cup having its side walls approximately cylindrical,

and a rigid plate fixed on said mandrel provv tecting the upper edge of said cup;

6. In a swab, a mandrel, a cup of flexible material thereon supported to receive the fluid inside thereof, the side walls of said cup being cylindrical, and rigid means fixed said cup, valve-controlled openings in they bottom of said cup, there being a fluid pas` sage in said mandrel from within said cup to the lower end of said mandrel below said cup, and means in said fluid passage .to

regulate the load of liquid to be-supported by said c up.-

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature this 23rd day of July, A. D. 1926.

EUGENE KIBELE 

